(My latest stories for JDW) Japanese analyst says North Korea 'years away' from developing ICBM

ASIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 30-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Japanese analyst says North Korea 'years away' from developing ICBM Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo North Korea probably needs several more years to develop nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of threatening the US mainland, according to a senior fellow from a Japanese Ministry of Defence (MoD) think-tank. "It may take several years, not a few years, for the North to be able to develop [ICBMs] that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads and hitting the continental United States", Hiroyasu Akutsu, a professor and senior fellow at the National Institute for Defence Studies, told IHS Jane's on 29 March. Akutsu said North Korea's planned mid-April launch of what Pyongyang says is a satellite will provide an opportunity to confirm the country's current missile capability. North Korea reaffirmed on 27 March that the launch was not a long-range missile test. However, Akutsu said the 'satellite launch' two years ago made it difficult to take Pyongyang's claims at face value. "In April 2009 we couldn't confirm that North Korea had put a satellite into orbit," Akutsu said. "No North Korean flying object emitted any electric waves. If it had been a satellite, it should've sent some signals." Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US have demanded that North Korea cancel the upcoming launch, while China expressed "deep apprehension". However, Akutsu said that Pyongyang would almost certainly press ahead despite the mounting international pressure. Asked about the implications of North Korea's launch for Japanese defence, he said: "If the missile crosses over Japan's Nansei islands, we will be forced to reconsider Japan's air defence in that region." Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012 ASIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 29-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Mitsubishi starts building ATD-X stealth prototype Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on 28 March began assembling the Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X (ATD-X) fighter: a prototype for a future fighter to replace the Japan Air Self-Defence Force's Mitsubishi F-2. "The aim is to produce a purely indigenous fighter aircraft," Takashi Kobayashi, general manager of Mitsubishi Heavy's aerospace systems, said at a ceremony at the company's Tobishima plant in Aichi Prefecture. "Today marks the first step on the tough road towards that goal." The ATD-X, also known as 'Shinshin' (Heart of God), is being developed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has provided a project budget of JPY39.2 billion (USD480 million). It plans for the ATD-X to be airborne by Fiscal Year 2014. The ATD-X has been designed to be a stealthy air-superiority fighter with enhanced manoeuvrability. The MoD will use it to research advanced technologies and system integration, after which it plans to produce a sixth-generation fighter encompassing I3 (informed, intelligent and instantaneous) concepts and counter-stealth characteristics. Fuji Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy are to manufacture the aircraft's fuselage, main wings and cockpit, while Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) is providing two XF5-1 twin-turbofan afterburning engines for the prototype. To reduce the aircraft's weight, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is being used for around 30 per cent of the whole airframe. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012

My latest for JDW. Mitsubishi starts building ATD-X stealth prototype

SIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 29-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Mitsubishi starts building ATD-X stealth prototype Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on 28 March began assembling the Advanced Technology Demonstrator-X (ATD-X) fighter: a prototype for a future fighter to replace the Japan Air Self-Defence Force's Mitsubishi F-2. "The aim is to produce a purely indigenous fighter aircraft," Takashi Kobayashi, general manager of Mitsubishi Heavy's aerospace systems, said at a ceremony at the company's Tobishima plant in Aichi Prefecture. "Today marks the first step on the tough road towards that goal." The ATD-X, also known as 'Shinshin' (Heart of God), is being developed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has provided a project budget of JPY39.2 billion (USD480 million). It plans for the ATD-X to be airborne by Fiscal Year 2014.      The ATD-X has been designed to be a stealthy air-superiority fighter with enhanced manoeuvrability. The MoD will use it to research advanced technologies and system integration, after which it plans to produce a sixth-generation fighter encompassing I3 (informed, intelligent and instantaneous) concepts and counter-stealth characteristics.       Fuji Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy are to manufacture the aircraft's fuselage, main wings and cockpit, while Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) is providing two XF5-1 twin-turbofan afterburning engines for the prototype. To reduce the aircraft's weight, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is being used for around 30 per cent of the whole airframe. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012

My latest stories for JDW（Japan could provide Philippines with coastguard ships, etc）

ASIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 28-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Japan air command completes move to US air base Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo The Japan Air Self-Defence Force's (JASDF's) main command was officially transferred on 26 March to the US Yokota Air Base: home to US Forces Japan (USFJ) headquarters and the US 5th Air Force. The move is part of the 2006 agreement on the realignment of US forces in Japan. The new command centre could be tested soon if North Korea goes ahead with its planned satellite launch in mid-April. The command is expected to instruct Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) destroyers equipped with the Aegis system and the land-based PAC-3 air defence missile interceptor units. "This move will bring a higher level of deterrence and coping capacity to Japan-US ties," Commander Harukazu Saito said at the opening ceremony.      The JASDF's command centre relocation follows the lead of the JMSDF, which relocated its command centre to Yokosuka Naval Base: also home to the US Navy's 7th Fleet.      The Japan Ground Self-Defence Force's Central Readiness Force (CRF), which is currently based at Camp Asaka in Saitama Prefecture, is scheduled to move to Camp Zama, the home of US Army Japan, in March 2013.      Meanwhile, Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka said on 27 March that he expected to deploy PAC-3 interceptors in the Tokyo metropolitan area as well as on the Okinawa, Ishigaki and Miyako islands in southwestern Japan in anticipation of North Korea's satellite launch. Local media also reported that three Aegis-equipped destroyers would be deployed to the East China Sea and Sea of Japan to track the launch. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012 ASIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 27-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Japan could provide Philippines with coastguard ships Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo James Hardy JDW Asia-Pacific Editor London The Japanese government is considering offering patrol vessels to the Philippine Coast Guard in Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12) as a form of overseas development aid, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official told IHS Jane's on 27 March. Such an offer would be the first since the government eased its so-called 'three principles' on arms exports in December 2011, paving the way for Japan to participate in the international development and production of military equipment. Japan and the Philippines discussed the patrol vessels at a strategic dialogue between deputy ministerial-level government officials on 23 March, the official said.      "Japan and the Philippines have worked together previously, such as on anti-piracy measures," the official said. "Our bilateral relations have strengthened since the Japan-Philippine summit meeting last September." The Nikkei Shimbun newspaper reported on 22 March that the Philippines had requested two 1,000-ton class, 100 m-long patrol vessels and 10 180-ton class, 40 m-long patrol vessels. The official denied that such a request had been made and said discussions were ongoing. COMMENT The Philippine Coast Guard is predominantly concerned with search-and-rescue and coastal monitoring, although it does also have a dedicated special operations group. The largest ships in its inventory are four 56 m-long San Juan-class vessels built by Tenix and commissioned between 2000 and 2003. Japanese Coast Guard vessels in the 100 m-long class have a displacement of 1,500 tons and are customarily armed with one 20 mm JM-61 Vulcan Gatling-style gun and/or one 12.7 mm machine gun. The addition of such vessels would be a major capability lift for the coastguard and put it on a par with the Philippine Navy, which IHS Jane's World Navies describes as having "limited credible rapid deployment capability" and poor general readiness. "According to its own data, released in May 2011, only half of the craft listed in its inventory were afloat and not all these were operational." In light of this, Manila would welcome any offer of increased capability to help it patrol its 7,107 islands and the world's third-longest coastline behind Canada and Indonesia. The Philippines' acceptance of a former US Coast Guard cutter as its naval flagship also suggests that Japanese-supplied vessels could be used in a military role. That could see them involved in the country's attempts to press its claims to the Spratly Islands: a group of islands, atolls and reefs in the South China Sea that are also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012 ASIA PACIFIC Date Posted: 19-Mar-2012 Jane's Defence Weekly Japan threatens to shoot down North Korean rocket Kosuke Takahashi JDW Correspondent Tokyo Additional reporting by James Hardy Asia-Pacific Editor London Japan has threatened to shoot down a North Korean rocket if the missile threatens its territory. The warning came on 19 March from Japanese Defence Minister Naoki Tanaka, who said he would order the Japan Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to take action.    "If we judge it poses a danger to Japan, I will take the necessary steps [to issue a destruction order]," Tanaka said during a Budget Committee session at the House of Councillors. North Korea announced on 16 March that it would launch an Unha-3 rocket carrying an earth observation satellite called Kwangmyongsong-3 between 12 and 16 April, dates that coincide with celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the birth of regime founder Kim Il-sung. Japan's ballistic missile defence (BMD) system comprises 32 MIM-104F Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor batteries, in addition to batteries operated by US Forces Japan; four Kongo-class destroyers equipped with Standard SM-3 Block IA missiles; and two Atago-class destroyers equipped with the SM-2 Block IIIB system. Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said it was possible the North Korean missile could fly over the Nansei Islands, which include Okinawa Prefecture and stretch southwest towards Taiwan in the East China Sea. If Tanaka does issue a destruction order, he will be following a precedent set by then defence minister Yasukazu Hamada, who, on 27 March 2009, activated Japan's missile defence system in response to North Korean missile launch plans. On 5 April 2009 the North launched an Unha-2 rocket reportedly carrying a Kwangmyongsong-2 satellite from the Musudan-ni/Tonghae launch base in northeastern North Korea. However, Tokyo took no action because the rocket was deemed to pose no danger. Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2012